The First War
by bored-now0809
Summary: Set in Maurader's era. This is the story of Sirius' great love and what happened during the first war. JamesLily SiriusOFC
1. Prolouge

Intro: Ok so I usually write Buffy stories but I became a bit preoccupied with Sirius Black and wondered about what was going on with him back in Hogwarts. Well all the mauraders really, but I was especially interested in Sirius since he is one of my favorite characters. So here goes! My first publishing of Harry Potter fanfic. Please review!

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters from Harry Potter that are mentioned in this story.

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The First War

Prologue

Train to Hogwarts- September 1, 1969

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"James! Over here!" A young girl with dark hair and pigtails called.

"Hey Dor!" Eleven year old James Potter called with a smile as he walked over to his childhood playmate. She made a face at the hated nickname James had christened her with when they were two years old. "Ready?" He asked still grinning and Dorcas nodded.

"Let's go." She said seriously and together the two of them climbed aboard the Hogwarts express for the first time.

"This is going to be great." James said excitedly as they settled into a compartment. "I am going to have so much fun! I can't wait to start exploring the castle." Dorcas rolled her eyes.

"You're such a git." She said laughing. James looked offended for a bit before he grinned.

"At least I'm not wearing pigtails." He said and laughed at Dorcas' affronted look. She sniffed.

"You know how my mom is." She rolled her eyes and looked at him in an appraising way. James shifted a bit in his seat. "At least my hair doesn't look like I forgot to brush it." James rolled his eyes but his retort was cut short as a young girl with bright red hair pulled open the door. They both looked at curiously and she blushed.

"Er-Can I sit here?" She asked and Dorcas smiled kindly.

"Sure!" She replied cheerily while James continued to stare at her. Dorcas kicked him. "Be nice." She hissed.

"Are you brother and sister?" The red head replied a bit uncertainly. Both Dorcas and James snorted.

"Are you daft?" James asked and Lily looked offended.

"Don't mind him." Dorcas looked at James and smiled sweetly. "He's a git." Both girls laughed and introduced themselves as James began to sulk. They proceeded to ignore him. "So what house do you want to be in?"  
"Er-I'm not sure. I'm a muggleborn." Lily said quietly and Dorcas looked intrigued.

"Really? I've never met a muggleborn before." She looked at Lily curiously for a moment before shrugging. "Well I want to be in either Gryffindor or Ravenclaw." James snorted and Dorcas kicked him again. "My mum was in Ravenclaw!"

"Too bookish." James sneered making a face at Dorcas. "I want to be in Gryffindor." He said puffing out his chest. Dorcas rolled her eyes.

"He will too." She said to Lily who looked confused. "His family's all been in Gryffindor for over 100 years."

"Wow." Lily said feeling slightly more nervous than before. "There's so much that I don't know. I bet that I'll be the worst." Dorcas put her hand on Lily's arm in a comforting manner but James just began to laugh.

"It's just Hogwarts." He said between guffaws and Lily looked very upset and ran from the compartment. Dorcas sighed before standing up and gazing coolly at James. "What?" James asked once he stopped laughing.

"You can be such a prat." She said and glared at him for a moment before leaving to find Lily. She felt bad, Lily didn't know anyone, didn't even really know too much about magic and James just had to mock her. Dorcas eventually found Lily in a restroom and it looked like she'd been crying.

"Oh. Sorry to have run off. I just…" Lily trailed off and sighed. "Your boyfriend can be sort of rude." Dorcas laughed.

"That's an understatement. Besides he's not- nor will he ever be- my boyfriend." Lily looked surprised.

"But if you're not-"

"He's just a mate. Your first guess was more accurate. Our families are old friends, probably because both our dads were on the old Gryffindor Quiddich team together. We were practically raised together."

"Oh." Lily said and they were silent for a moment as Lily had a thoughtful look on her face. "What's Quiddich?"

"Let's see…" Dorcas said and they spent the rest of the train ride sitting in the ladies room while Dorcas filled Lily in on some parts of wizard's society. Before they knew it they were standing in a stone entrance way with the rest of the first years getting ready to get sorted. James bounded over to the two girls.

"Hey Dor. Where'd you go?" He asked totally ignoring Lily. Dorcas rolled her eyes.

"I went to find Lily. You remember, the girl that you were obnoxious to on the train?" Dorcas asked sarcastically and James looked affronted.

"I wasn't rude!" He said shocked.

"Yes you were." Dorcas replied matter-of-factly. Another first year chuckle as Lily blushed again.

"Was not!" James protested. Dorcas merely gave him a disdainful look.

"Were too!" She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at James.

"I'd say it's best just to agree with her." A boy with black hair and grey eyes said with a lopsided grin. "She looks stubborn." Dorcas felt herself begin to blush and her heart skipped a beat as she looked over at the boy.

"Er-" She said not really knowing how to reply. His grin widened.

"Sirius Black." He said holding out his hand which Dorcas shook.

"Dorcas Meadowes." She mumbled and James smirked at her. She noticed and glared for a moment before kicking James in the shin. "That's James Potter." She said before she and Lily began to giggle as James hopped up and down holding his shin. Sirius grinned.

"This way first years." Professor McGonagall said joining them in the foyer. She frowned at James. "Mr. Potter please refrain from dancing. The sorting is a serious matter." She turned and began to lead them into the Great Hall as James sent Dorcas a dark look while she looked back at him innocently.

"Look at the ceiling!" Lily said in awe as they walked in the Great Hall. Dorcas looked up and smiled excited to be there at last. She felt a nervous flutter of excitement in her stomach as the hat began to sing.

"Black, Sirius!" Professor McGonagall called out and Dorcas watched as the cutest boy she had ever seen was sorted into Gryffindor. Soon Lily was called and sorted into Gryffindor as well. Dorcas felt a shaft of envy go through herself which didn't last long as she too was soon called up by the hat.

"Meadowes, Dorcas!" She made her way to the front of the Great Hall and sat shakily on the stool. This was it. The moment of truth…

"RAVENCLAW!" The hat called out and Dorcas hurried over to that table after glancing quickly at Lily who looked quite disappointed and Sirius who wasn't really paying attention at all. She watched the rest of the sorting with baited breath hoping that maybe, just maybe, James would join her in Ravenclaw. But just as they had predicted, he was promptly sorted into Gryffindor. And without even a second look at her, he hurried over to the Gryffindor table. Never before had Dorcas felt so alone.

"Can you pass the potatoes?" A voice said to her left and Dorcas looked around shocked at all the food. "Potatoes?" The voice said a bit impatiently and Dorcas blushed.

"Er-sure." She passed the potatoes to another first year girl.

"Thanks." The girl said and took a big bite of food. "I'm Marlene." She said with her mouth full. Dorcas grinned.

"Dorcas. Nice to meet you." And she and Marlene quickly entered into conversation about what they though Hogwarts would be like. As Dorcas went to bed that night she thought that maybe it wouldn't be so bad to be apart from James after all.

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I'm not above it...i beg for reviews! please review ;)


	2. Chapter 1 Sixth Year begins

Next chapter...even though no reviews ;(

Anyways...i hope that some of you are reading and enjoying. Just as a little warning Sirius is not really all that mature at the beginning of the story. But he will get better.

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Chapter 1

6th Year: September 1, 1974

Dorcas grinned as she slid through the barrier onto Platform 93/4. She had gotten top marks on her OWLs along with Marlene and Lily. Both Ravenclaw girls were hoping to have more than one class with Lily for a change. She spotted James talking to Sirius and waved as she caught her old friend's eye. He grinned and waved back to her, but Dorcas quickly looked away with a light blush as Sirius looked in her direction. Fortunately she spotted Lily chatting with a seventh year Gryffindor girl.

"Hey Lils!" Dorcas said walking up to the pair.

"Dori!" Lily replied with a grin giving her friend a hug. "Do you know Alice?" She asked gesturing to the other girl.

"I don't think we've met." Dorcas said to Alice with a friendly smile. "I think that your boyfriend was the captain of the Gryffindor Quiddich team last year?" Alice smiled.

"Yeah. Frank was just accepted to Auror training after his NEWTs. He's really excited." Alice took a deep breath to go on but was interrupted by Lily's sigh.

"Now you've done it." She shook her head but had a smile on her face. "You've got her talking about Frank; she'll never stop." All three girls laughed.

"Dori! Lily!" They heard a voice call out and the petite frame of Marlene Harmon came into view, her blonde curls bouncing around her face.

"Marlene! How was France?" Lily asked and was soon squished in a hug by Marlene.

"Fabulous! I got you both presents!" She said hugging Dorcas as well before turning to see Alice and blushing a bit. "Sorry. I don't believe we've met."

"Alice Mercer." Alice said with a good natured smile. She glanced back at the train. "Looks like we'd better get on the train before we can't get a compartment." They all agreed and moved towards the Hogwarts Express.

"Don't look now Dorcas, but Sirius is looking at you." Marlene said in a low voice and Dorcas looked over where the four boys were waiting and blushed when Sirius sent her a grin. Lily groaned.

"Don't tell me you still fancy that prat?" She said rolling her eyes. Dorcas' blush deepened.

"oooohhh…Who?" Alice asked with a grin.

"Nobody." Dorcas said quickly and Lily snorted.

"Yeah the same nobody for the past six years!"

"Six years!" Alice said surprised.

"I know." Marlene said with a sigh. "We finally got her to go out with someone last year but she was all, 'Oh he's nice but Sirius'-" Marlene slapped her hand over her mouth as Dorcas sent her a glare.

"Sirius Black?" Alice asked surprised. Dorcas seemed very sensible and way too nice for Sirius Black. She glanced over at the Marauders and saw Sirius give a very dirty look to a pretty blonde Hufflepuff. "You're better off without him."

"I know." Dorcas sighed. "Marlene tells me so every single day. But there's just something about him…:" She shrugged and grinned at the girls a little guiltily. They all giggled.

"Well let's find an empty compartment." Lily said as they stepped onto the train. "I have to tell you guys about this bloke that Petunia brought home."

"Wait. Is this that Vernon character that you were writing about but all the ink smeared because you were laughing so hard?" Dorcas asked with a chuckle. Lily laughed.

"Yep. That's the one!"

**OOOOooooOOOOoooooOOOO**

"Another year eh Padfoot?" James said with a grin as he and Sirius looked around the platform of chattering students. James was looking for Lily and Remus and Peter, while Sirius was looking for anything pretty in a skirt.

"It's good to be back." Sirius replied grinning back his best friend. James chuckled and spotted Dorcas. He waved at her and Sirius turned around and looked back at James, then back at the girl who was presently hugging Lily Evans. "Who was that?"

"Oh. That's Dorcas." James said giving Sirius an odd look. "You've met her before."

"I think I would have remembered that!" Sirius said indignantly, his eyes drinking in Dorcas' figure. James looked at Sirius with a worried expression.

"I guess she looks a bit older." James looked over at the group of girls and began to gaze stupidly at Lily. "Evans looks good." He began to ruffle his hair unconsciously. Sirius laughed.

"I think I'll ask her out." Sirius said with a lustful look in his eye.

"Padfoot." James said sternly. "Dorcas is almost like a sister to me! Don't mess her about." Before Sirius could reply, Remus and Peter walked up.

"Uh oh. Who's Padfoot's latest victim?" Remus asked mildly and James snorted with a while Sirius looked offended.

"Not victim! Lucky lady!" He insisted and smoothed his hair off of his face. Remus didn't look convinced and Sirius rolled his eyes. "Dorcas Meadowes."

"She's friends with Lily." Remus commented and Sirius shrugged. Remus sighed. "If you mess her about you'll probably ruin any chance that Prongs has with Lily." James looked alarmed.

"He's got a good point. You'd better not-"

"Alright, alright." Sirius said waving his hand impatiently. He looked over where the girls were getting on the train. Dorcas looked over blushing and he gave a grin, quite pleased with her reaction.

"Padfoot…" James warned with a frown.

"Look. I realize that I don't have the best track record with girls. How about if I promised not to be a prat with her?" He looked at his friend impatiently. "Would you let me date her then?" Sirius asked sarcastically. The other three exchanged skeptical glances.

"Let's just get on the train." Remus said and they quickly boarded the Hogwarts Express looking forward to the upcoming year.

**OOOOooooOOOOOooooOOOO**

"Now we'll divide up into pairs and each pair will decide on a project." Professor Murdock said with a smile to the small class. Advanced Muggle Studies was considered to be a soft option, but Dorcas loved it. "I've paired you up and will be reading out the pairs."

As the professor began to read out the names, Dorcas was only half-listening for her own name. Glancing around the room she figured that she'd get stuck with some dippy blonde Hufflepuff girl. She rolled her eyes and looked out the window.

"Miss Meadowes?" Professor Murdock said impatiently and Dorcas looked up quickly and accidentally slammed her knee into the top of the desk. She yelped and the class laughed. Professor Murdock hid her smile. "Yes well. Please go and join your partner Miss Meadowes." At Dorcas' confused look the Professor sighed and gestured to a different desk. "Mr. Black?"

Dorcas moved to the desk in a daze sure that this was a dream. Had she really been paired up with Sirius Black? She didn't even know that he was taking Muggle Studies.

'See that Marlene? I'm not stalking him!' Dorcas though somewhat smugly.

"Er. Hi!" Dorcas said and mentally cursed herself as she began to blush.

"Hey Meadowes." Sirius said giving her a grin while mentally cursing James and Remus for making him promise not to go out with her.

"So what's the project we're working on?" She asked and Sirius chuckled sending a tingle down Dorcas' spine.

"I can't believe a Ravenclaw wasn't paying attention." He teased and she laughed.

"To be honest I was looking out the window." She said and felt her nerves begin to fade as he laughed.

"Well over the next month we're supposed to research one aspect of Muggle life and present it to the class." Sirius explained still smiling at her.

"Oh. Maybe we can make one of those rad-ion things!" Dorcas exclaimed in an excited voice.

"I think you mean radio." Sirius said with a laugh. She blushed.

"Yeah one of those."

"I don't think that'll work." Sirius continued after a moment of silence.

"Why not?" Dorcas asked and unknown to her, she pouted slightly. Sirius' eyes traveled to her lips but moved up quickly and Dorcas didn't even notice.

"Er. I don't think that perlasticity works at Hogwarts." He replied knowledgably. Dorcas looked at him a bit confused for a second, her brow wrinkled as she tried to make out exactly what he said. "What?"

"I think that maybe you mean electricity." She said with a little giggle. Sirius laughed loudly.

"How'd we ever get our OWLs in this class?" He asked with a grin and Dorcas' giggles slowly died down.

"I wondered that myself." She looked around the small classroom and leaned forward a bit. "I really wonder about the people who didn't pass it." Sirius smiled and couldn't help but feel drawn to her and the sparkle in her clear brown eyes. They were intelligent and kind…and he really hated James right now.

"I'm sure we'll think of something."

"I'll ask Lily what she thinks in Potions." Dorcas smiled. "I'm glad that we finally have that class together. Marlene and I have been looking forward to seeing how Slughorn acts around Lily." She laughed and Sirius looked amused.

"Why's that?"

"Oh, Lily tells us all these stories about him and how irritated he makes her." Sirius grinned remembering some of their past potions classes. "She does a great Slughorn impression." Sirius snorted.

"Evans?" He asked skeptically.

"Yes Lily." Dorcas rolled her eyes at him. "She's actually really funny." Sirius gave her a smirk.

"Coming from a Ravenclaw I don't know if I can believe that." She huffed at him as the Professor walked by.

"Now, now Miss Meadowes. I'm sure all Mr. Black's ideas aren't bad." The professor grinned at them. "Remember I'll need your project plan next lesson." She walked away and Dorcas and Sirius exchanged a look.

"Are you beginning to think that she assigned us this because she didn't want to lecture about stuff for the first term?" Dorcas asked absently toying with her hair.

"You know I think you're right." Sirius said and grinned. Watching as she bent over the paper to jot down some ideas he felt a tug in his heart as light came through the window and seemingly lit up her dark hair. Sirius swallowed hard. He'd have to start dating someone soon before he drove himself crazy. After all, James had made it pretty clear that Dorcas was off limits. He'd just have to find someone to distract himself with…at least until he could convince James that Dorcas was fair game.

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Please review!


	3. Chapter 2 Sixth Year continues

First: Thanks to my reviewers! you rock! and keep the reviews coming and i'll keep the story coming...this one is actually all written out...it just needs to be typed up.

Second: Sorry that this chapter is a little short. The next one is pretty long though to make up for it.

Chapter 2

Sixth Year Continues…

"So only Muggle women wear this-" a blonde Hufflepuff said holding up a flower print dress.

"Whereas Muggle men sometimes wear this." Her partner added holding up a kilt. Sirius snickered at the presentation and Dorcas send him a reproachful look, which only made him snicker again. He grinned at her frown and she couldn't help the smile that began to form on her face; her stomach fluttering. Dorcas wasn't sure if the fluttery feeling was from his smile or the fact that their presentation was next.

"Very good." Professor Murdock said with a smile as the class clapped politely. "Next up, Miss Meadowes and Mr. Black and their report on moving vehicles." Sirius and Dorcas made their way up to the front of the class.

"For our report we studied different ways that Muggles travel without magic." Sirius began.

"There are airplanes." Dorcas continued holding up a model airplane and they began to go through the different ways Muggles traveled around the globe. She was very excited about their project. She and Sirius had actually built a Muggle motorbike. Dorcas still wondered how he had managed to get the parts to make it. But she had had fun building it with him- even though she had no idea how they had done it, Sirius had found a book on it in the library.

"And finally- a motorbike!" Sirius said and used a charm to unshrink the bike they had built.

"Oh my!" Professor Murdock said then smiled at them. "I just knew that the two of you would do something fantastic." She beamed while Dorcas blushed and Sirius just grinned somewhat smugly. "Does it work?"

"Sure thing Professor." Sirius said and mounted the bike. "Dorcas, get on behind me." He muttered and at her apprehensive look, he rolled his eyes and yanked her toward him. She quickly got on, clutching Sirius' shoulders, before she lost her balance. Sirius grinned at her and kick started the bike. The roar seemed to echo around the classroom.

"Excellent." The Professor said and Sirius smirked and began to drive around the classroom between the desks. Dorcas grinned, her grip tightening slightly on Sirius. She understood why Muggles like to travel this way. It was a bit more comfortable than a broom after all.

"So this is a prime example of Muggle recreation travel." Sirius said skidding to a halt at the front of the classroom.

"Well that's all the time that we have left today." Professor Murdock said regretfully as Dorcas and Sirius dismounted the bike. "See you next time when Mr. Davies and Miss Parkinson will be presenting their project on British artists and Mr. Andrews and Miss Calson will talk about light fixtures."

"Good job, Sirius!"

"That was wonderful!"

"Do you think that you could take me for a ride?"

Girls seemed to surround Sirius and Dorcas as the class ended. Sirius quickly re-shrunk the bike and Dorcas squeezed out of the crowd and got her books before hastily exiting the class. If she had looked back, she would have seen Sirius looking after her, uninterested in the other girls. She didn't look back.

**OOOOoooOOOoOOOoOoOO**

"Listen Prongs. I really like her." Sirius said and gave James a look. James sighed.

"You've said that before." Sirius shot his best friend a glare.

"But I've actually talked to her for two…almost three whole months now without snogging her once!"  
"Wow." James said sarcastically. Then gave his friend an amused grin. "You've also been dating three different girls since school started! And this is Dorcas we're talking about. She's different from those other girls." James ruffled his hair as Lily walked past them to sit by Alice at the Gryffindor table. She rolled her eyes.

"I know she is. That's why I like her!" Sirius said. Remus glanced up at the two them, their conversation tearing his attention away from his book.

"Maybe you should just let him go out with her." He said mildly and Sirius grinned while James gaped at them.

"But what about Sirius ruining my chances with Lily?" James whined. Remus shrugged.

"It's been over a year. Maybe it'll actually help." He gave a quick smile at James' astonished look and turned back to his book.

"Alright then. I'm going to go and ask her to Hogsmeade this weekend." Sirius said and James sighed as his friend got up and started to go to the Ravenclaw table.

"Don't be a prat!" James called after him, half joking but half serious. Sirius sent a smirk over his shoulder before continuing to where Dorcas was sitting with Marlene.

"Hey Dorcas." He said and she looked up at him in surprise. She glanced at Marlene who just grinned at her. Marlene had figured this was coming soon. She just hoped that Sirius wasn't going to break Dorcas' heart.

"Hi." Dorcas said. "Er- this is Marlene. Marlene, Sirius." They nodded at each other and Marlene turned to talk to the fifth year Ravenclaw on her other side.

"So I was wondering. What are you doing this weekend?" He asked and she looked at him stupidly for a moment.

"Er- Hogsmeade I guess." She shrugged. "Probably just go to Honeydukes and maybe the Three Broomsticks."  
"Well I was actually hoping that you'd like to go with me." He paused. "Like a date." Dorcas looked up at him surprised and the longer she waited to answer the more nervous Sirius became. He actually cared if she said yes- for more reasons than his ego. Dorcas on the other hand was in shock that he had asked her out. She'd just assumed that he thought of her as a friend since he'd never really hung out with a girl for more than a week before asking her out- even for school projects.

"Er- sure." Her smile began to grow. "That'd be great."

"Great." Sirius said with a smile. "I'll meet you in the entrance at noon?"

"Sure." Dorcas said and he smiled at her in return.

"See you soon." He said and returned to Gryffindor table.

"Uh oh. Lily looks annoyed." Marlene said bringing Dorcas back to reality. Dorcas shrugged and tried to look unconcerned.

"Lily'll get used to it." She said and Marlene looked at her skeptically. "She will." Dorcas insisted. Marlene shrugged and took a sip of pumpkin juice.

"Well just make sure he doesn't curse Snape or anyone else around her." They both exchanged a look and began to laugh.

**OOOOOOoooOOOOoOOOOoOOooo**

"So where to first?" Sirius asked putting his arm around Dorcas' shoulders in the Entrance Hall. Hogsmeade weekend had come at last and Dorcas and Sirius' date had arrived.

"Hmmmmm…" She said and gave him a mischievous look. "How about Madame Pudilfoot's?" He frowned at that.

"Er-" Sirius cleared his throat hoping to buy some time but Dorcas began to laugh. As they walked outside and the autumn sun lit up her hair and Sirius felt his stomach flip. He quickly pushed the feeling away.

"I'm just joking. I think that place is dismal!" She made a face. "Only my grandmum would like that many doilies." Sirius chuckled.

"So, how about we go to the Three Broomsticks? For a butterbeer?"

"Brilliant." Dorcas said and Sirius squeezed her shoulder as they walked down the path, conversation flowing easily between them. "So are you going to go to James' for Christmas?" Dorcas asked at a pause in the conversation.

"Maybe. Why'd you ask?" Sirius asked glancing down at her. She shrugged.

"I think that my parents were talking about us having out Christmases together…" He looked at her in surprise and she rolled her eyes. "Our parents have this mad idea that James and I should get married." She mumbled and Sirius laughed.

"You and Prongs?" He guffawed and Dorcas looked slightly put out for a moment before she too began to laugh.

"I told them that it'd never happen. But they don't want to hear it. I mean, he's totally in love with Lily and I…ummm" She trailed off with a bit of a blush. "And I like someone else." She said quietly.

"Oh?" Sirius said turning her face towards his. He smiled down at her. "And who's that?" Her blush deepened and their faces moved closer together. Dorcas could feel his breath on her face and closed her eyes after what seemed like an eternity. Their lips brushed lightly before she pulled away.

"Look! We're here already!" She said cheerily and Sirius gave her a half smile before opening the door to the Three Broomsticks and gesturing her to enter. Dorcas did and he followed. It was hard to find an empty table but they eventually did and then Sirius went to the bar to buy their drinks.

"Dori! What're you doing here?" Lily called from the entrance and walked over to her friend. "Did Sirius leave you?" She whispered worriedly and Dorcas looked up surprised- and a little bit annoyed.

"No. He's getting us drinks."

"Oh." Lily said sounding somewhat disappointed and Dorcas felt a rush of anger.

"Yeah, oh. God Lily! Do you think that I'm just some pathetic loser who Sirius would ditch after about five minutes!" Dorcas growled. Lily looked shocked.

"No! Of course not!" She cried, then she lowered her voice. "It was more that he's such a prat and would just- just go off with one of those slags he usually dates-" Dorcas flushed but then she flared up.

"Lily! Stop! He's not like that!" She hissed at her good friend.

"I wouldn't have asked her out unless I liked her Evans." Sirius said coolly appearing behind the two girls with butterbeers clutched in his hands.

"Black!" Lily said looking embarrassed.

"Sirius I-" Dorcas began to look upset. He gave her a reassuring look. He had heard her coming to his defense and he felt very happy to know that she seemed to really like him.

"Look Dorcas. D'ya wanna get out of here? Go somewhere else?" He asked handing her a butterbeer and Dorcas looked between Lily and Sirius for a moment.

"Sure."

"Dori-"

"Look Lily. Not now ok?" Dorcas said the flush beginning to fade from her cheeks. However, seeing how upset Lily looked made some of Dorcas' hurt fade. "I'll talk to you later." She muttered and gave Lily's arm a quick squeeze and she and Sirius headed out the door.

"I don't know how you can stand her." Sirius said and kicked the wall. Dorcas looked upset and began to fidget with her hands nervously.

"Look, Lily was out of line. But she's a good friend." He shrugged moodily. "Let's go someplace more quiet." Dorcas suggested "Then we can drink our butterbeer uninterrupted." He gave a half smile.

"Where'd you have in mind?" She was thoughtful for a moment and as he looked at her the feelings that he was trying to suppress came to the surface.

"How about the Shrieking Shack?" She asked and Sirius laughed. Dorcas frowned. "Or not. We could-"

"No. No. It's perfect." He said and moved to put his arm around her. She smiled up at him. "Absolutely perfect." And without thinking, Sirius leaned in closely and kissed her. Dorcas hesitated a moment but soon began to return his kiss. Before she knew it, Sirius had pulled away. "Let's get out of here." He said in a low voice. Dorcas could only nod.

OOOOoooOOOOOoooOOO

Ok don't worry...Lily and Dorcas don't have a big fight.


	4. Chapter 3 Sixth Year comes to a close

Thanks again for the reviews! I hope that you like this chapter...

Chapter 3

End of Sixth Year

Dorcas tapped her quill on the parchment while she, Lily, and Marlene were studying for their end of year exams in the library. Things had been tense for a while between Dorcas and Lily after the incident at the Three Broomsticks, but they had made up pretty quickly. Lily apologized and had even hung out with Dorcas and Sirius a few times, finally admitting that Sirius wasn't so bad. She had eventually admitted that Sirius seemed to be…well…serious about Dorcas.

Marlene reached out to stop Dorcas from tapping her quill.

"You're driving me mad Dori." Marlene said in exasperation. Dorcas grinned.

"Then my plan has succeeded." Lily chuckled.

"So where's that boyfriend of yours anyways?" She asked with a grin. Dorcas blushed.

"He's doing something with James." She admitted and Lily frowned with a sigh.

"Probably planning another prank."  
"Oh lighten up Lils!" Marlene said grinning. "You have to admit, seeing Narcissa Black dancing the tango with Severus Snape during breakfast last week was hilarious." Dorcas and Marlene both let out giggles remembering while a small smile played on Lily's mouth.

"Yes. Well. That was rather amusing." Lily said before turning to her book and flipping some pages absently. Dorcas pulled her book closer and shifted in her seat trying to concentrate. It was no use. She closed the book.

"What's up?" Marlene asked- her own concentration beginning to fade.

"I think I'm going to give up for the night." Dorcas replied. She looked contemplative for a moment. "I think I'll go down to the kitchens." She grinned and began to put her books away.

"Oh!" Marlene exclaimed while bouncing in her chair. "Can you get me some éclairs? I want to finish these last few sentences up. But I'll bring your books up and meet you in the Common Room." Lily gave a sigh.

"I guess I should head back to Gryffindor Tower." Marlene looked at her surprised.

"Why should you do that? Let me sneak you into Ravenclaw Tower." Marlene grinned happily between the two of them. "We can have a midnight feast!" They smiled and agreed. Dorcas got up to go.

"Thanks for bringing me bag up. I'll see you guys soon!" The other two merely waved their hands as she began her journey to the kitchens. Sirius had shown her where the kitchens were last month and even since then Marlene had been clamoring for more éclairs. Unfortunately with their OWLS fast approaching, this was the first time she had really gotten to go back. Dorcas frowned as she reached a crossroads in the castle. She couldn't remember which the path to the kitchens was.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" A greasy voice said behind her. Dorcas wheeled around. It wasn't past curfew yet, but with exams so close, most people were in their common rooms of the library studying.

"Snape." She said coolly before randomly picking a corridor to go down. While she didn't really agree with how mean Sirius was to Snape, she wasn't particularly found of the sixth year Slytherin.

"Meadowes. Out without your loathsome boyfriend." He sneered and Dorcas' steps faltered as she stiffened.

"Don't talk about Sirius that way." She said fiercely without turning around. Snape made an ugly face at her back.

"Such loyalty." He said softly but dangerously. "But I wonder if you would be so loyal to him if you knew what he was up to."

"Just leave me alone." Dorcas said in an exasperated voice and she began to walk at a quick pace. But Snape managed to catch up to her and he grabbed her arm.

"I'm trying to help you!" He spat but she yanked her arm away.

"No you're not!" She yelled angrily, color coming to her cheeks.

"He's with another girl." Snape yelled back and Dorcas paled.

"You're lying." She said and glared, but there was a seed of doubt in her mind. That would be a stupid thing for Snape to lie about to her. Snape shrugged.

"Suit yourself." He said and turned to walk away. "I can show you if you want." He said nonchalantly over his shoulder.

"Fine." Dorcas spat withdrawing her wand. "But if you try anything…" He looked at her with a sneer.

"Not a chance." And turned around weaving his way through the castle, his robes billowing out behind him. Dorcas followed at a slight distance, feeling stupider and stupider the longer they walked until Snape came to an abrupt halt in front of the door to an unused classroom. "Here."

"Here?" Dorcas asked. She didn't hear anything and hesitantly reached out and touched the doorknob before jerking her hand away. "You could be lying." She said again. He rolled his eyes.

"I'm not." Snape replied calmly and watched as she reached out again before pulling away a second time. Snape sighed in impatience before yanking the door open himself and pushing Dorcas forward. She gasped and stood frozen at the sight before her.

There was Sirius. Her boyfriend whom she loved. Naked and on top of some equally naked blonde girl. Her gasp made him pause in his motions and look toward the door where he saw Dorcas looking devastated and Snape behind her looking triumphant.

"Don't stop!" The blonde said in exasperation, apparently not caring or noticing the new arrivals. Dorcas choked back a sob and turned and ran, pushing past Snape on her way back to her Common Room. Sirius swore and hastily disentangled himself. "You might as well finish. She's going to end it anyway." The blonde girl commented.

"Sod off." Sirius said throwing on his robes hastily and walking towards the door. He gave Snape a dark look and a black eye on his way out. "Dorcas!" He called and went to follow her, but she had disappeared. "Damnit Dorcas! Come back!" He went to Ravenclaw Tower and sat outside but no one came or went. After a couple of hours he trudged back to the Gryffindor Common Room.

Meanwhile Dorcas fled from the corridor and made record time to Ravenclaw Tower. She had no idea how she managed it since she could barely see thanks to the tears in her eyes. He throat felt like it was closed. She should have known. Andrea Simmons, a muggleborn girl in her year, had come back from Christmas break all upset about her boyfriend cheating on her.

"If he's not getting it from you, he's getting it from somewhere else." She's said bitterly one night. At the time, Dorcas had dismissed it as bitter ramblings, but now she accepted it as a universal truth. Still crying, she stumbled through the door to the tower.

"About time! Where's my éclairs?" Marlene asked cheerily. Then she frowned as she took in Dorcas' tearstained face. "What's wrong?" She asked and she and Lily hurried over. The glanced at each other.

"Let's go up to your dormitory." Lily said quietly. Marlene nodded and between the two them, they helped Dorcas up to the girls' dorm and they all sat on her bed.

"What's wrong Dorcas? You're scaring me." Marlene said and Dorcas sniffed a few times before telling them haltingly what had happened. They looked at each other shocked. Lily's face turned bright red in anger while Marlene's fists clenched so tightly her knuckles turned white.

"THAT PRAT!" Lily exploded and got up from the bed and began to pace around the room. "I swear to God I'm going to curse him so bad he'll wish he never even thought of being such a disgusting-"  
"Lily. Not now." Marlene said unclenching her fists and wrapping an around Dorcas. Lily looked abashed but quickly nodded and rejoined them on the bed.

"How about I stay with you guys tonight?" Lily suggested and Dorcas smiled at them through her tears.

"You guys are the best." She rasped and the three girls hugged each other, their thoughts all centering on the same thing. What would happen at breakfast tomorrow?

**OOOOOoooOOOooOOOooOOOO**

Dorcas slowly walked with Lily and Marlene down to the Great Hall for breakfast. She was dreading seeing Sirius again, but was grateful for Lily and Marlene, who had promised not leave her side until they had to because of classes.

"Oh! Damn!" Marlene hissed as they entered the hall. Sirius came walking towards them as soon as they entered. He looked remorseful, but they could all see that he fully expected to be forgiven.

"Dorcas I-"

"Get away from me." Dorcas said in a furious voice. Marlene and Lily jumped a little at the intensity of Dorcas' voice but they knew that Sirius deserved everything she dished out. Sirius however, looked truly shocked.

"Look. I wanted to say that I'm sorry." He said with a penitent look. Dorcas laughed, but it wasn't her usual good natured laugh. It was a bitter sound and Sirius' confidence faltered.

"You're sorry?" She said. "You're sorry!" Sirius felt his confidence slip away at the angry look on her face. He had never seen her that upset before. "It's a little too late for sorry, Black."

"But I-"

"You what?" She said gathering steam and not noticing that people were starting to look at them. "You think it's just ok, what you did? That because you smile at me, I'll just say ok and everything will be just like it was before?" She took a deep breath and lowered her voice looking him in the eye. "Well it'll never happen. I don't ever want to see you again." And with that she turned and walked out of the Great Hall. Sirius looked between Lily and Marlene forlornly.

"I didn't mean it." He said and both girls glared at him.

"You never do, do you Black?" Marlene asked before going to the Ravenclaw table to get some food for the three of them. Lily turned away to follow Dorcas, but Sirius grabbed her arm. She glared at him.

"Sod off, Black." She snapped and stormed out of the room. Alice quickly went after her, having heard everything from her table. She sent Sirius a glare as she raced from the Hall. James came up with an angry look as well.

"So this is why you were upset last night?" He asked quietly.

"Leave it Prongs."

"No. This is why I told you that Dorcas was off limits! But you promised- you swore to Padfoot- that you wouldn't be a prat to her." James sighed. Neither boy noticed Marlene slip by laden with food.

"Look. I made a mistake." James snorted and Sirius sent him a look before lowering his voice. "Look Prongs, we'd been going out for months and we hadn't…" He rubbed his head. "You know." James made a face.

"Sirius- Dorcas is like a sister to me. I don't want to hear this."

"Well you're going to." Sirius said. "I was frustrated but it didn't mean anything. I care about Dorcas. Hilary was just there."  
"Look. I know her. This was a big deal." James said shaking his head.

"Well if she just would have shagged me, I wouldn't have-"  
"So it's her fault?" James asked in exasperation.

"Well not entirely. But if she hadn't been a prude about certain things-" Sirius broke off as James punched him. He looked at James in surprise, holding his eye. A hush fell over the room.

"Sirius. You're my best mat and I'm sorry I had to do that. But you're being a complete berk. You just said that you care about Dorcas." James paused and Sirius nodded. James sighed. "Then you should act like it."

And with that James left the Great Hall taking out a spare piece of parchment on his way so he could find Dorcas. Sirius stared after his mate, pondering what James had said. There was no way around it. He had screwed up royally and it might have cost him two of the most important people in his life. He scowled as he saw Snape sitting at the Slytherin table bent over a piece of parchment. It had been Snape who'd showed Dorcas where his was. All the furious feelings that Sirius had been feeling towards himself suddenly shifted direction and pointed towards Snape instead. He'd get revenge.

James turned the corner and saw the four girls sitting on poufs (most likely Alice's creation) munching on some toast. He slowed down as they looked towards him.

"Not now Potter." Lily snapped.

"Look. I just wanted to make sure that Dor was ok."

"Don't call me that." Dorcas muttered out of habit. He gave a half smile. But Dorcas didn't smile. "Tell me you didn't know about this?" She said in all seriousness.

"Of course not." He knelt down on the stone floor. "I would've given him a black eye long before today if I had." Dorcas' mouth twitched.

"You punched Sirius?" She asked and winced as she said his name. James patted her arm.

"Yeah." He grinned at her. "It's sure to have left a bruise." Dorcas gave him a weak smile.

"You swear you didn't know, James?" She asked at last.

"He didn't." Marlene answered. James looked at her surprised. "I overheard them talking after I went to get food." James nodded in thanks.

"Thanks." Dorcas said and wiped her eyes with her sleeve. "I know it's just a stupid school relationship. But I don't know…" She trailed off.

"You thought he was the one?" James said, but he wasn't looking at Dorcas. He was looking at Lily. Dorcas nodded as Lily blushed.

"I've got to go." Alice said regretfully, breaking the moment. "I've got my Charms NEWT."

"Go." Dorcas said smiling at her. "And thanks Alice." Alice bent to give Dorcas a hug before racing off to her exam. Marlene sighed.

"I suppose we should go to class." She said forlornly. "C'mon Dori. Let's get to Ancient Runes." Dorcas nodded and they got up to go.

"Thanks James. It means a lot to me that you'd actually do that. I know he's your best mate." Dorcas said but James cut her off.

"What he did was stupid and out of line." James paused as though debating what he was going to say next.

"Go ahead and say it." Dorcas said knowing that look on his face from when they were kids.

"Maybe. Maybe one day you'll be able to forgive him. Because even though he's a prat, he does love you Dor."

"Too soon for that." Dorcas said with a pained smile. Marlene began to lead her away. "And don't call me that." Dorcas said over her shoulder. James gave a half smile before turning to look at Lily.

"That was really decent of you." Lily said after a long pause. James waved his hand as though dismissing what she was saying.

"It's the truth. And besides, Dorcas has always been a good friend to me. Even when I'm the prat." James said with a grin and Lily chuckled.

"She has. Sometimes, I'd give her a hard time for being so fond of you." James snorted.

"Sometimes?" Lily blushed and he grinned. Without thinking about it, his hand ruffled up his hair, making it look windblown. "So Lily, er- do you maybe, want to go out with me sometime?" Lily looked him over seriously and James felt like he could drown in her emerald green eyes. She looked so serious at first glance, but looking deeply into her eyes, James could see a glint of humor.

"Maybe." Lily said at last and left James standing in the hall with a bemused look on his face.

"Maybe." James repeated awed as he watched her walk away. If he could have seen it- James would have been surprised by the smile that spread across Lily's face.

"Maybe." She said softly to herself.

**OOOOOOOO**

OK don't hate me. I just thought that Sirius would probably be that kind of guy at 16. I mean with all his family issues he would probably sabatoge any good romantic relationship subconsciously or consciously. Anyways...there's more to come! Review for quick updates!


	5. Chapter 4 Seventh Year

Thanks so much Kendra the hyper one for continually reviewing my story! you rock :)

This next chapter is pretty long (it could be two chapters but i have a feeling i'm going to be busy for the rest of the week and next weekend and won't be able to update so just wanted to leave you with something before I disappear for a bit).

Chapter 4

Seventh Year

"I'm going to ask her to go with me to Hogsmeade." Sirius said looking over at where Dorcas and Marlene were sitting together at the Ravenclaw table. Marlene's boyfriend Andrew McKinnon and his good friend Jim Ballard had just walked over and began to chat with the two girls. Sirius watched as Dorcas smiled, but her eyes didn't light up like they used to.

"Leave it Padfoot." James said with a sense of finality in his voice. Things had been tense between the boys; first with Sirius cheating on Dorcas and then the revenge he'd pulled by telling Snape about the Whomping Willow and subsequently Remus' "furry little problem". But they'd managed to pull together. After all, with the dark happenings that were becoming more and more frequent in the wizarding world, they didn't have time to stay angry at each other.

"It's been all summer. I think I've got a shot. She's sure to have forgiven me." Sirius said even though he didn't sound one hundred percent sure.

"I don't know." Remus interrupted looking up from his Charms book.

"What'd ya mean?" Sirius asked still looking over at the Ravenclaw table. Andrew and Jim had moved down the table away from the girls and Dorcas and Marlene were talking quietly with their heads together.

"She was really upset." Remus said mildly. Sirius nodded.

"I know. But-"

"Let's just leave it. I don't think she's gonna go for it." James said with a shrug when Sirius looked at him hurt. James sighed. "She purposely left to stay with Marlene or Lily whenever our families decided to do something together over the summer." Sirius pushed his peas around on his plate a little bit.

"So? Maybe she wanted to see her friends." He asked but they could all tell he didn't really believe that.

"She's leaving." Remus said still looking down at his book. Sure enough, Dorcas had gotten up and Marlene was walking down the table to go and sit with her boyfriend.

"Be right back." Sirius said dropping his fork with a clatter and getting up to follow her. Remus sighed.

"I don't think that this will well." He said and the other two merely shrugged. James' gaze began to wander to where Lily was sitting reading a book while the other seventh year Gryffindor girls giggled around her.

"Well, I'm going to go try my luck with Lily." James said shooting his two remaining friends a grin. "She's been softening up to me lately." And he hurried off before Remus or Peter could try to discourage him.

"Look like we'll have two broken hearted fools in the dorm tonight." Remus said his eyes glued to a particularly dense paragraph. Peter looked over to where James and Lily appeared to be in a pleasant conversation.

"I don't know. She looks like she said yes." He said and Remus looked down the table in surprise and absently closed his book, a slight smile playing on his mouth.

"So it does. Good for Prongs." He said and they both shrugged and went back to eating their dinners.

**OOOOOOooooooOOOOoooOOOOOooooo**

"Dori. I think that Andrew's friend wants to ask you out." Marlene said and glanced at her friend. Dorcas was still suffering from her break-up with Sirius. Since Sirius had been living with the Potters this summer, Dorcas had spent a large part of her summer alternatively staying with Lily and Marlene when the two families were together…which happened fairly often. Marlene though that the best way to help her friend out was to distract her with a new boy. Lily disapproved but, Lily had often disapproved of a lot of their plans that had turned out fine.

"Oh?" Dorcas asked looking up from her half-eaten dinner. "Which one?"

"Jim Ballard. You know him, right?" Marlene asked and Dorcas nodded. She was about to say something but stopped as Andrew and Jim both appeared.

"Hey there ladies." Andrew said and leaned down to kiss Marlene. She smiled at them brightly.

"Hey." Marlene replied and she and Andrew quickly began to chat with each other. Dorcas gave John a half smile.

"Dorcas." He started after an awkward silence. "I'm sure Marlene told you already…" they exchanged another smile, "But I was hoping you'd like to go with me to Hogsmeade this weekend." Dorcas looked thoughtful for a second. "It doesn't have to be a date." He added quickly.

"I'd love to go." She said and gave another smile. "And it can be a date." She paused. "If you want." He grinned at her.

"That sounds great. Do you want to meet up in the Common Room? Walk down together?" He asked.

"Sure." Dorcas replied and John and Andrew went back to join the rest of their friends.

"So?" Marlene asked with a grin. Dorcas rolled her eyes.

"Yes. We're going out Saturday. You were sitting right there!" Marlene giggled. "Alright, alright." Dorcas sighed suddenly feeling exhausted. "I'm going to go up."

"Ok." Marlene took a big gulp of pumpkin juice. "I'll see you soon. I'll probably try to catch up with Lily before she goes to Gryffindor tower."

"See you soon then. Tell Lily I'll catch her tomorrow at the library." Dorcas said and exited the Great Hall, unaware that Sirius was behind her.

"Dorcas! Hey Dorcas wait up!" Sirius called out in the hallway. Dorcas' steps faltered for a moment before she speed up. "Dorcas, C'mon!" Sirius called jogging after her slightly frustrated. He caught up to her and grabbed her arm. "Dori-"

"Let go of me." She said without turning around.

"We need to talk." Sirius said trying to get in front of her and trying to catch her eye.

"No. We really don't." She said avoiding looking at him.

"I really need to talk to you."

"I've said everything I want to say to you." Dorcas said wrenching her arm free and she began to walk away quickly. But Sirius didn't give up.

"I've tried to talk to you over the past month, but, well…I was hoping that we could go to Hogsmeade together. This weekend. Sort things out."

"No." Dorcas said still not looking at him. Sirius' frustration grew and grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her towards him.

"Will you just look at me!" He growled at her. She looked up at him and he was surprised to see tears in her eyes. "Dori- please. Just come with me to Hogsmeade. I'll make it up to you, just-"

"I have a date already." She said and his arms dropped. Sirius felt his insides squirm a bit at the thought of her with anyone else but he pushed it aside and grabbed her hand.

"Break it. Dorcas I messed up-" She snorted. "But I'm really sorry."

"I'm not going to break my date just because you want us to get back together. We can't. We're not."

"Dori-"

"I can barely look at you Sirius." Dorcas said in a low voice and pulled her hand out of his. "Just leave it." She turned and walked away as he stared at her retreating form.

"I love you!" Sirius yelled desperately. It was the first time he had admitted it to her. All he got was a bitter laugh in return as Dorcas continued to walk to her dorm shaking her head in disbelief. Sirius rubbed his face with his hands. "I love you." He said again softly and finally admitted it to himself.

**OOOOOOOOooooooOOOOOOOoooooOOO**

Lily grinned as she sat with her two friends in the library. It was Sunday after Hogsmeade and she was filling them in on her date with James.

"…then we went to Honeydukes and he bought me all of my favorite sweets without me having to tell him what they were-"

"Well yea. He's been stalking you for seven years." Marlene said with a grin.

"Stalking is such an ugly word. I prefer…close observation." Lily countered with a wave of her hand. She and Marlene both giggled. They looked at Dorcas concerned as she continued to sit quietly doodling in the margins of her parchment.

"You ok Dorcas?" Marlene asked and she looked up at her friend slightly confused.

"Yeah great."

"Are you still thinking about what Sirius said the other day?" Lily asked and Dorcas nodded.

"What about the date with Jim?" Marlene asked and Dorcas tapped her fingers on the table.

"It was fine. He's really nice." Marlene and Lily exchanged a look that went unnoticed. "We're going out again soon."

"Dori, are you sure you're ready for that?" Lily asked and Dorcas shrugged.

"Might as well." She replied and turned the pages in her book listlessly.

"If you don't really like Jim, I mean if you still have feelings for Sirius-" Lily started but was cut off as Dorcas slammed the book shut.

"Look. I know you guys mean well, but I'm going to date Jim. I mean, I can't even look at Sirius." She looked between Marlene and Lily for a moment before giving them a rueful smile. "Look, I'm going to finish this potions essay tomorrow. I'm supposed to meet John in the Common Room. But, I do want to hear more about your long awaited date with James, later."

"If you're sure you're ok." Lily asked with a frown.

"I'm fine." Dorcas assured her and quickly gathered up her things and left the library. Lily turned to give Marlene a reproachful look.

"Great idea setting her up with someone else." She accused and Marlene shrugged.

"It seemed like a good idea at the time!" She defended herself with a mournful look. "Well at least tell ME the details of this date with James. Dori and I have been waiting for that to happen for a long time!" Lily blushed, but complied.

**OOOOOOOOOooooooOOOOOOoooooOOOOOOOO**

_Graduation_

Dorcas sat with Lily and Marlene chatting happily by the lake. They were all in their graduation robes- they had decided to meet up before the ceremony for a last chat by the lake, knowing that afterwards their parents would swarm all over them.

"So James is planning a big party in Gryffindor Tower tonight." Lily said with a grin. Both Marlene and Dorcas thought that it was amusing how Lily now loved James with the same intensity that she'd previously hated him.

"Excellent. Andrew and I'll be there. Don't forget to give me the password." Marlene answered her curls bouncing around her head in her excitement.

"What about you Dori?" Lily asked.

"No, I think that I'll skip it." Dorcas said with a supposedly careless shrug.

"Dori, you can't avoid him forever." Marlene said and quickly continued when Dorcas opened her mouth to argue. "Besides, you've been going out with Jim for almost a year. Don't you think you can stop hating him now?" No one had to ask what "him" Marlene was referring to.

"I don't hate him." Dorcas mumbled.

"Well. You've had us fooled for the past year." Lily said with a wry grin. Marlene snorted. "No. Seriously. You don't hate him?" Dorcas shook her head and Marlene sat up straight as a horrible thought entered her mind.

"Do you still love him Dori?" She asked in a whisper as though afraid of the answer. Dorcas shrugged and Marlene and Lily exchanged a surprised look.

"Dori!" Lily said sharply.

"Maybe." Dorcas mumbled and both of her best friends looked shocked.

"But. Why've you been going out with John for so long? And- and why won't you even talk to him?" Lily looked to Marlene for support. "And why are you just telling US this NOW!" She asked in a sharper voice. Dorcas shrugged and eventually sighed. She stood up and brushed the grass off of her robes. The other two quickly followed.

"I don't want to go through that again with him." She said seriously as they all began to walk back to the castle. "And Jim's nice." She glanced at her two friends. "And I knew if I told you two earlier in the year you would have made me talk to Sirius." She grinned at their affronted look. The both eventually smiled admitting that she was right.

"But Sirius has been different this year." Lily said as the continued towards the castle." Dorcas shrugged again.

"He hasn't dated anyone all this year." Marlene added with a spark in her eye that usually meant she was up to something. She continued to press Dorcas. "It's almost as though he's in love with someone else."

"Too little, too late." Dorcas said in what was meant to be a carefree tone, but turned out to be slightly bitter. "Oh look! There's Jim!" She said and dashed off to her boyfriend giving Marlene and Lily a smile as she ran away from their questions.

"Well at least she's still talking to us." Lily said wryly and Marlene snorted.

"We'll get her to go to the party tonight. Then get them alone together. I'm sure it'll all work itself out." Marlene said and Lily could practically see the wheels turning in Marlene's head.

"I don't know. You know how stubborn Dorcas can be." Lily said apprehensively.

"Yes, well." Marlene tossed her head impatiently. "This is probably out last chance."

"Last chance for what?" James asked coming up behind them and putting his arm around Lily.

"Oh nothing." Marlene said in an airy voice watching Sirius carefully. He had a dark look in his eyes as he watched Dorcas smile at Jim as they chatted about nothing in particular. 'Interesting' She thought smugly.

"Marlene…" Lily said in a warning tone.

"Oh look! There's Andrew!" Marlene said with a grin waving at her boyfriend. "See you at the party Lily! Don't forget to give me the password!"

"Marlene!" Lily called exasperated. But Marlene had already dashed off. Lily sighed.

"What was all that about?" James asked curiously.

"Oh. Just girl talk." Lily said evasively and couldn't help but smile as James blanched. He grinned seeing her smile.

"Ah. Right. Boys." James said with a chuckle and Lily scowled at him, but there was a fondness in her eyes that belied any animosity. Sirius looked away from Dorcas and Jim and felt an intense shaft of envy as he watched James with Lily. He quickly shook it off.

"C'mon guys. I think we're supposed to be lining up." He said with a grin and the other two followed him into the Great Hall where stands were already set up and parents were sitting watching and waiting for the ceremony to start. He glanced at Dorcas as she took her place and their eyes met for a moment. For a second he saw behind her shield and was heartened by what he saw: she still cared for him. But, before he knew it, she had looked away and Sirius was left to wonder if he had imagined it after all.

**OOOOOOOoooooOOOOOOoooooOOOOOO**

Sirius gave a half smile as Mr. and Mrs. Potter fussed over him and James. He felt a brief pang of remorse that his own parents weren't here but then he remembered what they were like and just felt relieved. Instead he turned to see Dorcas' parents hugging her as she introduced them to Jim. Sirius scowled a bit.

"And this is Lily!" James said excitedly as he introduced Lily to his parents. Sirius turned his attention back to his group.

"It's so nice to finally meet you dear." Mrs. Potter said giving Lily a hug.

"These are my parents." Lily said introducing her family- minus Petunia- to her friends and boyfriend.

"Here comes Bill!" Mr. Potter said as indeed Bill Meadowes and crew walked towards them with a hesitant Dorcas and a smiling Jim.

"Roger!" Mr. Meadowes greeted with a grin. Lily and Dorcas were soon chatting happily as James explained to an amazed Mr. and Mrs. Evans about how the ceiling in the Great Hall was bewitched. They were taken with his charm much more quickly than their daughter had been.

"So Jim. We're finally graduated." Sirius said to the Ravenclaw boy.

"Yep. Looks that way." John said slightly aloof.

"So you and Dorcas have big plans for tonight?" Sirius asked trying to sound uninterested. Jim gave an appraising look.

"Maybe." He said and then glanced around at the others before lowering his voice. "Look Black, just stay away from Dorcas. I know you still have feelings for her."

"I do not-"

"Yeah whatever." Jim said dismissing Sirius' feeble protests. "I see my parents. I'll be right back." Sirius watched as he whispered something to Dorcas before slipping off to see his parents. Marlene soon skipped over to join them, her parents traveling in her wake, and Remus and Peter finally found them with their families as well.

"Stop brooding Padfoot." Remus said patting his friend's arm.

"Stow it Moony." Sirius said rolling his eyes.

"Maybe you should move on." Remus said quietly and Sirius shrugged. At that moment Dorcas looked up grinning at something Marlene had said. Her eyes met his for a bit before she looked away blushing. Sirius felt a half smile tug at his mouth.

"Don't know if that's possible Moony." Sirius said with a rueful smile. "But I'll try to stop being just a broody buggar."

"Well I guess that's all we can really ask for." Remus said with a grin. "Besides, I suspect out new jobs'll keep us busy."

"Not mine." Peter said morosely. "I doubt the Official Gobstone Club requires a lot of work."

"Cheer up Wormtail!" Sirius said slapping his friend on the back. "Maybe if you work like a house elf you'll get promoted to Quiddich." They all chuckled a bit.

**OOOOOOOooooOOOOOooooooOOOOooooOO**

That night Gryffindor Tower was packed with Seventh years from all houses (except Slytherin) who had somehow wrangled the password. They were chugging butterbeers and eating food smuggled up from the kitchen. There was music playing and couples dancing, Lily and James amongst them.

"C'mon, let's dance!" Marlene said pulling Andrew out onto the dance floor as soon as they arrived. He chuckled but followed her to the floor. Dorcas had been persuaded to come by Marlene and she and Jim stood by surveying the crowd.

"Well, this looks just like Ravenclaw Tower!" Jim said with a smile. Dorcas nodded having been there before with Sirius and Lily. Jim's smile faded as he realized that. "I supposed you knew that already."

"Yeah." She agreed. "Do you wanna go dance?" Dorcas asked gesturing to where their friends were all having a good time. Jim shook his head.

"Nah. You go ahead though. I'm gonna get some drinks."

"Ok." Dorcas said and hopped over to the others.

"Dori!" Lily said brightly and hugged her friend happily. "You came!" Dorcas giggled at Lily's attentions and looked at James with a grin.

"You've given her firewhiskey!" Dorcas accused and James shrugged with an air of false innocence. Dorcas laughed. "Well…get some for the rest of us!" James laughed and gave her a wink before disappearing into the crowd.

"Where'd James go?" Lily asked with a pout.

"To get more firewhiskey!" Dorcas said grinning.

"Oh. Well that's ok then!" And both girls giggled. Soon James returned and they all began drinking. Remus wandered over to say hello before going back to his Hufflepuff date. Even Peter took a break from eating to stop by and say hello.

"Uh oh." Lily said before bursting out laughing. She was quite a bit drunk now and James looked slightly alarmed as her giggling seemed to continue with no end in sight.

"What?" Dorcas asked still more sober than drunk.

"Can I talk to you?" She heard an unmistakable voice ask behind her. She turned around and felt the entire buzz from the whiskey leave her body. It was Sirius. She could only nod in response and they moved to an unoccupied corner in the room. Neither noticed Jim watching them across the room. Sirius and Dorcas looked at each other warily.

"You wanted to talk." She said at last. He nodded.

"Sorry. I'm just so surprised you agreed to talk to me." He cleared his throat. "I just wanted to say that of all the stupid things I've done in my life I regret the way that I treated you the most."

"Yeah." Dorcas said not really sure what to say. He gave her a half smile.

"I was stupid Dorcas. And at the time I expected you to just forget about it. But now, I was just hoping…" He rubbed his face with one hand before looking down at her and meeting her steady gaze. "Friends?"

"Friends." Dorcas said as though testing out the word. She looked up at him, at the hopeful look in his eyes and her heart flipped over. She silently cursed herself for still caring so much about him. Before she could stop herself she reached out with her hand to hold his free one. "Ok."

"Ok." Sirius said with a relieved smile and squeezed her hand. "I bet James and the other will be relieved." He said and she smiled.

"True. Now they won't have to avoid having us together." She said and they shared a quiet moment. "You know that this doesn't change anything else." Dorcas said seriously and he nodded.

"I know." Sirius replied and opened his mouth to say more but was interrupted.

"Get away from my girlfriend Black." A slurring voice said behind the pair. They both turned quickly.

"Jim." Dorcas said in surprise. She hastily dropped Sirius' hand which she'd on then realized she hadn't let go of yet.

"Yeah, me." He said in a mocking voice and pulled Dorcas away from Sirius. Sirius opened his mouth to protest but Dorcas gave him a look and he went back over to where the others were dancing.

"What's up?" Marlene asked him and she followed his brooding gaze to where Jim and Dorcas were arguing. "Oh. That." She said and elbowed Sirius. "They'll be done fighting in a moment and Dorcas will come over and complain about Jim and then they'll make up…" She stopped abruptly as Dorcas slapped Jim. "Or maybe not." Just then Jim raised his hand to slap Dorcas back but Remus- who had been sitting nearby- caught Jim's hand. Everyone became silent and was staring at them.

"You should leave." Remus said quietly- but everyone in the common room heard.

"I think I will. C'mon Dorcas." Jim said and looked at Dorcas who had gone pale. "Dorcas."

"I'm staying here. I'm not going anywhere with you." She said furiously. Everyone looked back and forth between the two like it was a tennis match.

"Dorcas."

"We're through." She said calmly.

"Fine! Fine! At least I got something out of you that Black never did!" He taunted and Dorcas turned red but before she could do anything Remus punched him.

"Get out now." He said coldly and John made his way to the portrait hole holding his bloody lip. "Well, is this a party or not? Let's turn up the music." Remus said and everyone went back to what they were doing before. "You ok?" He asked Dorcas in a low voice to Dorcas.

"Yeah." She said and chuckled bitterly. "Well, I guess it wouldn't be the end of the year without me having a big bust up in front of the whole school." Remus chuckled a bit.

"I supposed you're right. Don't worry though Dorcas. There's still enough time left for something even more embarrassing bust ups to happen." They both laughed a little before Dorcas nudged him.

"You'd better get back to your date." She said with a smile.

"Yes. And you'd better get back to…" He trailed off and gave her a significant look. She laughed and gave him a push towards his date.

"Don't try matchmaking Remus, you lack the subtlety." Dorcas said in an aloof voice and Remus grinned before going back to his date and Dorcas went over to Marlene who she could see had been watching her anxiously. Lily soon joined them, but lacked the sobriety to fully grasp what had happened. Although her presence did seem to lighten up the other two

"Well Padfoot. She's single now." James said coming over to his friend.

"Stow it Prongs. I'm not going to mess with it right now." He shrugged at James' skeptical look. Sirius sighed. "We just agreed to be friends again and I'm not going to blow it the second time around." James shrugged.

"Suit yourself. But you're going to drive yourself mad with all the brooding. Not to mention the rest of us." James grinned and Sirius chuckled.

"I'll try to keep the brooding to a minimum." He said and James slapped him on the shoulder before going over to Lily. She was looking a bit sluggish all of the sudden and he felt responsible. He probably should have cut her off a while ago. Sirius watched his best mate go and found his eyes drift once again to Dorcas. So. She and Jim had slept together. He wasn't that surprised but he did feel irrationally angry about it. Swearing at himself he turned around and grinned at one of the vapid seventh year Gryffindor girls. She giggled at him and he hid a grimace. Maybe he should move on…

**OOOOoooooOOOOOOOooooOOOOO**

Just as a little hint about the future of this story...I am a romantic at heart. But the older I get the more realistic...if you can call any of this realistic. I didnt want them to get back together like nothing had happend. Because personally if I saw my boyfriend actually in the act of boinking another girl i would be pretty irate...


	6. Chapter 5 Order Work

An: Ok. So I've been MIA for a bit. But I was out of town for a bit for work and everything. Please keep reviewing and I hopefully I should be able to update sooner!

**Chapter 5**

**Order Work**

"Lils! Over here!" Dorcas called from her spot in the packed room. Lily and James quickly went over to where Dorcas was saving them seats. "Or should I say Mrs. Potter?" She asked with a twinkle in her eyes as Lily and James sat down.

"I know! Can you believe that it's been one month?" Lily asked excitedly while James grinned at both of them.

"Yep. First Marlene and then the two of you." Dorcas said shaking her head. "What's a single girl to do for fun when both her best mates get married?"

"How about finally get together with the bloke who loves her?" James asked rolling his eyes. Over the past few years both Dorcas and Sirius had been driving him crazy with their refusal to admit to their feelings. Both girls shot him a look but he merely shrugged and turned to greet Sirius who had just entered the room.

"Is he still on about that?" Dorcas asked Lily in an undertone. "Sirius and I were over ages ago." But even as she said it, Dorcas felt a pang in her heart as she took in Sirius' familiar and handsome features. They had remained friends as they had promised each other at the end of their Hogwarts days, but nothing more. They acted oddly formal around each other, something that particularly drove James crazy. Sirius had gone back to his habit of casual flings, none of which lasted more than a few weeks. Dorcas had dated a few men but nothing had come of it.

"C'mon Dori." Lily said nudging her friend. "Everyone knows you two are still crazy about each other." Dorcas huffed.

"No way. He's well over me." Lily looked at her friend skeptically but didn't get a chance to say anything else as Sirius himself turned to greet the two of them.

"Hello ladies. Where's the final part of your trio?" He asked just as Marlene bounded in. Sirius rolled his eyes. "Here she comes now."

Soon they had all assembled and were only waiting for one more person to arrive. Everyone was chatting amiably; some people hadn't seen each other for months thanks to the poor state that the wizarding world was in thanks to Voldemort's steady rise in power over the past five years.

"Ah. Good. Everyone seems to be here." Dumbledore's voice carried over the crowd and instantly everyone quieted down and turned to face him. He was standing at the front of the room with another wizard who looked rather odd and smelled vaguely of goats. "My brother Aberforth." He said gesturing to the strange looking man.

"Now. I've asked you all to come here because in your own ways, you've already begun fighting against Voldemort and his Death Eaters." Dumbledore said in his usual calm voice. He paused, making eye contact with several of the assembled witches and wizards. "I hoped that by uniting pooling our resources, we could become a stronger and more effective group." A bunch of murmuring started up and Dumbledore watched patiently until once again the room was deathly silent.

"How do we know we can trust everyone here?" Alastor Moody asked looking suspiciously at some of the people- most of the people- assembled in the room. Dumbledore gave a wry smile.

"I would trust everyone here with my life." Dumbledore answered quietly and Moody swallowed whatever he was about to say, however, his proclamation seemed enough for everyone else in the room.

"Well I for one am for it!" A bold voice called out.

"Here, here!" A similar voice called. Dorcas craned her head to see but only caught a flash of red hair.

"Fabian and Gideon Prewett." Sirius said leaning down and to whisper in her ear. He knew how she hated not being able to see what was going on.

"As long as we have Dumbledore to lead us!" Marlene called out and they swore that Dumbledore blushed.

"Now, I'm not sure-" Dumbledore started.

"All those in favor of Dumbledore as the leader?" Sirius yelled.

"Aye!" Everyone in the room called. Dumbledore looked around at them all seemingly very touched and a little bit sad. It was as though he knew that not all of them would make it.

"Here's to the Order of the Phoenix!" James shouted raising his and Lily's joined hands and breaking the somber mood that had threatened to settle on them. Everyone who knew about Dumbledore's pet Phoenix Fawkes chuckled a bit, but they all cheered feeling a happiness and confidence that had been long absent from their lives. It seemed to them at that moment that they were invincible, that even though they had come late to the fight and their enemy was unimaginably fierce, they could win; they WOULD win.

"Oh! Let's get a picture!" Marlene said. Dorcas and Lily both rolled their eyes with a smile. Ever since Marlene had had a baby the year before she'd been impossible to separate from her camera. But everyone dutifully lined up so that she could set the picture up. Lily and James pulled Peter between them as he struggled to find a place and Sirius casually put his arm around Dorcas.

"So we're doing it for real now?" Dorcas whispered as Marlene fiddled with her camera. "No more casual raids on James' command?"

"I suppose so." Sirius said. While James had taken a position as an Auror at the Ministry of Magic, Sirius had taken a position with Gringott's bank. He had felt that his last name would have been an impediment in a career as an Auror. But all of them had quickly learned there was too much going on for the Aurors to handle alone. While James had been complaining about how much work he had because of Voldemort's steady rise to power, they had all told him that they'd all do what they could. Lily was a Healer and able to tend to most of their injuries while Dorcas worked at the Ministry in Experimental Charms. While she was still a case worker, she had access to some highly useful information.

"So no more kneeling in a freezing cold bog on James' orders?" She continued with a grin. Sirius chuckled.

"Nope. Now we'll be knee deep in sludge on Dumbledore's orders." Dorcas giggled.

"Everyone say cheese!" Marlene called out getting into the picture.

"Cheese?" Called Lily and several other muggleborns and half-bloods while most of the pure-bloods looked a bit confused.

"Excellent." Dumbledore said beaming at them all. "You must make us copies Marlene." She nodded eagerly and Dorcas snickered. "Now." Dumbledore continued suddenly looking serious. Everyone felt the mood in the room shift. "Let's get to work."

**OOOOOOOoooooOOOOoooOOOO**

True to his prediction Sirius found himself kneeling in a cold bog the next night with James at his side. They had heard that there was going to be an attack on the Marchbanks' that night and they were both on the look out for Death Eaters.

"I've lost feeling in my legs." Sirius said while trying to warm his hands up. James chuckled.

"This is just like work for me."

"Well, I'm really glad that I joined the Order for this. I mean who needs to have the feeling in their legs. I should've taken that transfer to Egypt. Sun. Warmth." Sirius sighed but James merely snorted in response.

"Well, it's good to have you here in London. Besides, if you went to Egypt who would scare away all of Dorcas' boyfriends?" James said patting his friend on the back. Sirius scowled but before he could answer they heard the sound of someone tripping over a trashcan. Their faces became serious. "Let's go."

Both James and Sirius pulled out their wands and approached the house. They saw several wizards skulking around the outside of the Marchbanks' yard with hoods on. Death Eaters.

"You oaf!" One Death Eater called to the one who had knocked over the trashcan.

"Quiet." Said a sleek voice from beneath one of the hoods, he was obviously the man in charge. James and Sirius exchanged a look and spoke to each other without words. They waited until the two Death Eaters separated into two groups of two and nodded to each other, clasping hands briefly and wondering if this would be the last time they'd see each other alive. James took a chance and sent his Patronus with a message telling Dumbledore they were outnumbered.

"What's going on down there?" A winze voice called and Mr. Marchbanks opened the front door.

"Crucio!" One of the Death Eaters called from the shadows.

"Stupefy!" Sirius yelled, quickly stunning the one Death Eater and ending his curse. Mr. Marchbanks continued to twitch slightly, grabbing the doorframe to support himself.

"Tarentngella!" The other Death Eater yelled at Sirius. He dodged the weak hex and moved to send a counter curse. The both began to duel, but suddenly the other Death Eater woke up. Sirius began to struggle dueling two very skilled wizards. Seeing Sirius so outnumbered, Mr. Marchbanks managed to pull himself together and ran towards the fray with his wand raised.

"Don't worry sonny!" He yelled at Sirius and sent a curse flying. "I'll handle it from here." Sirius almost choked.

"Sir! Get inside! You're worth more alive!" Sirius said cursing. Mr. Marchbanks was a very powerful member of the Wizengamot. One who was very outspoken against Voldemort. His death would send a wave of terror throughout the wizarding community.

"Nonsense!" Marchbanks said shortly and Sirius was secretly relieved to have the support. The old man still had it.

The fight was brutal. Sirius was dueling faster than he ever had before. His mind wandered to James for a moment, hoping that his best friend wasn't having as much trouble as he was. But that brief lapse in concentration had its price, a curse whizzed by his face causing a gash to open up on his cheek and knocking him off his feet. Sirius was dazed for a moment and the two Death Eaters took that moment to turn to Marchbanks.

"Aveda Kedavara!" The lead Death Eater yelled and Marchbanks fell back dead in a flash of green light.

"No!" Sirius yelled astonished.

"Take care of him!" The lead Death Eater yelled at the other one before he disapparated away.

"With pleasure." The remaining Death Eater muttered before turning to Sirius.

"Not so easy now that it's one on one is it?" Sirius taunted, but he got no reply. The two began to duel once more. Sirius dodged a curse. "Not an Unforgivable?" He asked in a mocking voice and was pleased to see the Death Eater's hand tighten around his wand and he sent a dose of Cruciatus at Sirius who easily evaded it. "Are you afraid to fight like a decent wizard now?" Sirius sneered at the still silent Death Eater.

But Sirius didn't a chance to say much else. The speed of the duel picked up once more and they began to duel at an incredible speed. As Sirius was beginning to get tired, both he and the Death Eater shot curses at each other that hit in mid air and ricocheted out in all directions. Both Sirius and the Death Eater jumped out of the way. Sirius lay stunned for a second.

"SECTUMSPECTRA!" The Death Eater bellowed and before Sirius could move he was hit. The Death Eater moved closer until he heard voices coming toward them. He didn't wait to see who it was. He disapparated.

"Sirius!" James called running around the corner. The Prewett brothers had just arrived and they had managed to capture the other Death Eaters. James had hurried to help his friend. "Sirius!"

"James…" Sirius groaned James swore and rushed to Sirius' side.

"I'll get you to Lily." He said tersely and before they could blink, they were in the Potter house. "Lils!" James called and Lily came running down the stairs. She had been awake, unable to sleep while James was out on watch even though she was exhausted.

"What is it?" She asked in a drowsy voice. As her gaze settled on Sirius and his bloody form, she was suddenly wide awake and going through her medicine chest. "Leave it to me." She said tersely and James moved back as Lily approached Sirius. James began to pace as Lily tried all that she knew to close his best friend's wounds.

"Is it serious?" James asked after a Lily grunted in frustration a fifth time. Lily merely nodded and continued working. "Will you be able to…" He couldn't finish the question.

"Fingers crossed." Lily replied not even looking up from her bloody work at her husband. "Dammit!" She cursed having failed to heal the wounds for the sixth time. "Something is keeping these wounds from being healed with the usual potions and spells." She took a deep breath. "It must be a new curse."

"Dorcas." Sirius mumbled half-unconscious. James stopped his pacing abruptly.

"Did he just call for Dorcas?" James asked thinking he was hearing things.

"Dori- Please." Sirius groaned.

"Shhh. Sirius, save your strength." Lily admonished. She quickly turned to James. "Get her now James. Before." She gulped and James nodded solemnly before disapparating to Dorcas' house. She was sleeping fitfully on the couch.

"Dor. Wake up." James said shaking her.

"Don't call me that." She muttered sleepily.

"Dorcas stop. Sirius is hurt badly and he's calling for you." James said and watched as Dorcas blinked and looked up at him confused. Slowly her eyes cleared and her eyes filled with tears.

"No! It's not true! You're lying!" She said jumping up but James grabbed her arm.

"We don't have time for this Dorcas." Before she could utter another sound, they were at his house.

"Dorcas." Sirius groaned and his eyes fluttered. She stood stock still for a moment taking in the scene. And the blood. "Dori-"

"I'm here." Dorcas said taking Lily's place by Sirius' side as Lily moved over to James to offer him whatever comfort she could. They began discussing what else they could possibly do to help Sirius. If they decided to take him to St. Mungo's there would be questions, too many questions that might expose them all. But if they did nothing, then Sirius would die. "I'm here." Dorcas whispered to him and took his hand. "Oh Sirius, what happened?" She asked brushing his hair back carefully off his brow.

"Attack…I failed…I just." He swallowed heavily and Dorcas blinked back tears and bit her lip feeling as though her heart was about to burst out of her chest.

"No. Don't talk. I'll stay Sirius."

"I…I"

"Shhh….Sirius." She said softly and brought their joined hands to her lips, kissing his finger tips before moving his hand back to his side.

"No. I have to tell you." He swallowed again. "Tell you Dorcas."

"It's ok." She said quietly.

"No. I…" Sirius coughed. "I love you." At his quiet declaration, Dorcas couldn't hold back her tears anymore. They began to flow freely down her face and Sirius raised his free hand clumsily trying to reach for her. She leaned closer and took his grasping hand in hers. "Love…Dorcas…"

"I love you too." Dorcas admitted to him for the first time. Sirius' mouth turned up slightly before he frowned.

"No. Sorry. I…did…bad…"

"No. I'm stupid. I should've said something earlier. It's my fault. Oh God Sirius!" Dorcas said and began to cry in earnest realizing that this would be the last time that she saw him alive.

"Don't cry love. Don't cry." He whispered and moved a sluggish hand to her face, but didn't quite connect. She took it in her own and leaned into his touch.

"That's it!" Lily called and she disapparated. James stood abut awkwardly unnoticed by Sirius or Dorcas. The room was in silence until Lily came back in a ring of flames with Dumbledore. And Fawkes.

"Of course! Phoenix tears!" James exclaimed smacking himself on the forehead. He pulled Lily into a relieved hug as Fawkes began to tend to Sirius' wounds. "Lily, you're a genius." He buried his face in her hair in relief.

"Yes. Thanks to your quick thinking Sirius will be around to worry us even more." Dumbledore said looking grim. "That was a nasty curse."

"It was like nothing I'd ever seen." Lily said still pale from worry.

"Well, looks like Fawkes' work is done. I trust I'll see you tomorrow?" Dumbledore asked and they both nodded knowing he referred to the Order meeting the next day.

"Thanks for all your help Albus. We would've been lost without you." James said and he shook hands with Dumbledore before Dumbledore left.

"Let's leave them alone." Lily said gesturing to Dorcas and Sirius who were staring at each other still holding hands. James nodded and they retreated to their bedroom.

"Dori- tell me you meant it. You weren't just saying you loved me to let me die in peace?" Sirius asked fiercely half afraid of the truth.

"Of course not." Dorcas said and reached up tentatively to brush his hair off his brow. But Sirius caught her hand and for a moment she looked panicked but he just tiredly brought her hand to his face and kissed her palm.

"I love you. I'm sorry that it took me nearly dying to tell you again." He gave her a tired smile which Dorcas returned.

"You do tend to say it rather dramatically." She said and they both chuckled.

"Well from now on I promise to say it everyday?" She grinned at him.

"And every night?" Dorcas asked in a low voice, her eyes filled with a mischievous good humor. Sirius met her gaze with a trace of his old cocky grin on his face.

"Definitely." He pulled her close and kissed her, but grimaced in pain from his still tender wound. Dorcas sighed.

"We'll have to wait." She said sounding rather disappointed.

"Dammit. I've been waiting for this for over five years." He said with a pout but Dorcas merely laughed.

"One more day won't kill you." Dorcas said and he smiled at her and scooted over on the couch. Thankfully it was magically enhanced.

"Sleep with me tonight?" Sirius asked and any joke that she might have made died as she saw the touch of insecurity in his eyes.

"Of course." Dorcas said and climbed up beside Sirius on the couch. Soon they were asleep in each other's arms.

**OOOOOO**

Well don't forget to review. I hope that you enjoyed this chapter. And just so you know...this story isn't actually all that long chapter wise so it'll move pretty fast :)


	7. Chapter 6 The War

AN: the usual disclaimer blah blah blah.

So...sorry about the incredibly long wait for an update. I've been very very busy with work and just starting grad school...no excuses though! I'm really sorry and hope that people are still reading. Please read? Please? Please?

Chapter 6- The War

Dorcas bounced a one month old baby Harry on her leg. She grinned as he gurgled happily at her. Lily walked into the kitchen and roller her eyes.

"Don't get him all worked up or I'll never get him to sleep." Lily said but Dorcas ignored her friend.

"Harry's going to be a brilliant baby tonight. Aren't you Harry? Dorcas asked the baby and he made some spit bubbles in return.

"So what about you and Sirius?" Lily asked in a casual manner. She turned from her friend and worked on starting dinner.

"What'd ya mean?" Dorcas asked now making faces at Harry who giggled at her.

"You know what I mean." Lily sighed in exasperation. "It's been two years since you got back together. Aren't you going to get married?"

"I don't know." Dorcas said not taking her eyes off of the baby. Lily looked concerned.

"What do you mean you don't know?" She asked.

"I don't think that Sirius wants to get married." Dorcas answered at last and Lily looked surprised. "Not to anyone I mean." Dorcas quickly clarified.

"What do you want?" Lily asked taking the baby from her friend and watching her face carefully as Dorcas thought over the question.

"I'm not sure anymore." She sighed and buried her head in her hands. "If you had asked me in sixth year I would've said that I wanted to marry Sirius. Now though, there's so much that happened. Marlene's dead, and so many of our other friends too. I just don't know." She looked up at Lily. "I'm not as brave as you are." She gave a half smile. "Ravenclaw, remember?" They both shared a brief laugh.

"Dori- you can't let the bad things stop the good ones from happening too. Otherwise, there'd be no Harry." Lily said kissing Harry's head.

"Yeah. You're right. I'm being a coward. It's just I love him so much Lily, I don't know what I would do if something were to happen to him." She gave a tight smile. "I guess I just don't want to rock the boat."

"If he asked you…What would you say?" Lily asked and Dorcas paused for a moment. A dreamy smile spread across Dorcas' face.

"I'd say yes." They both laughed as Harry gave a loud burp and both women began to shower the baby with attention. Neither noticed Sirius watching them from the doorway with a contemplative look on his face.

**oooooOOOOOOOoooooooOOOOOOOO**

The next day found Dorcas at work still distracted by her conversation about Sirius with Lily. If she was really honest with herself she did want to marry him, and soon. It seemed like everyday they heard about more people dying or disappearing from the Order.

The first had been Marlene. Two weeks- only two weeks! – after they had all banded together with Dumbledore, Marlene, her husband Andrew, and their little baby, had been found murdered in their beds. After that everyone put up anti-apparation jinxes on their homes. Dorcas still had nightmares about the night she found out about their murder.

"Hard at work or hardly working?" A bright voice interrupted.

"Hey Emmeline." Dorcas greeted. Emmeline Vance was an Order member that Dorcas saw regularly since they both worked in similar areas at the Ministry. "Hardly working this time."

Dorcas grimaced as she surveyed the Charm she was supposed to be undoing. Someone had put a pretty powerful spell on a muggle and supposed to undo and obliviate the muggle's memory before a magical law enforcement agent- Emmeline- could place the muggle back with his family. They both surveyed the poor muggle for a bit frowning.

"It's just getting worse." Emmeline muttered.

"I know." Dorcas replied. "It makes me sick thinking that some bastard probably got off on torturing-"

"Hi Mr. Rookwood." Emmeline interrupted spotting Augustus Rookwood lurking behind them. Not wanting to raise suspicion by appearing to be friendly she rolled her eyes at Dorcas. "Honestly Meadowes, you're getting worked up over nothing. Just let me know when you're finally finished." She raised her brows and walked away nodding at Rookwood.

"Meadowes." Rookwood said politely before continuing on his way. Dorcas frowned and bent back over her calculations she was working on. But her mind wasn't focused on that. Could Rookwood be working for Voldemort? Why else would he be lurking around her? She shuddered and forced herself to focus on work. She really wanted to have this muggle sorted by the end of the day. Sirius was taking her out to dinner tonight, an event which had become rarer and rarer as the war continued. They'd moved in together last year, but with their respective jobs during the day and Order work at night, they often had to forgo traditional dates. She wondered how he'd managed to set this up. But it was the perfect time to tell him her news.

**oooooOOOOOOOooooooOOOOOOOOooooo**

Sirius paced the pavement outside the restaurant in front of the restaurant as waited for Dorcas to arrive. He patted his pocket to reassure himself that everything was still going as planned. He heard someone calling his name and looked up to see Dorcas bounding down the street. He couldn't help but grin slightly at her slightly disarrayed hair and her coat buttoned incorrectly.

"Sorry I'm late." She said as she was only a few paces away. "God! My hair's a mess- I'm sorry. I wanted to look perfect but I got held up with this case…" Sirius cut her off with a kiss. His arms held her close and she wrapped her arms around his neck. After a moment he pulled away.

"You look gorgeous." Sirius said and Dorcas blushed as he kissed her nose playfully. "Now let's get in there and eat."

"Good idea!" She replied with a grin and they entered the restaurant- a nice muggle place near where they lived in London. Soon they were seated and had ordered, having a great time relaxing with each other over a bottle of wine.

"Dori, there's something really important I wanted to ask you." Sirius said as the waiter took away their plates. Dorcas smiled at him.

"What is it?" She was feeling full and happy but became more serious once she saw the look on his face.

"Well I know you think that I just want things to stay the way they are but I don't." He began.

"Sirius, what are you saying?" Dorcas asked in a slightly panicked tone. Her heart began to beat faster. He couldn't be breaking up with her could he? She put a hand over her stomach.

"Just that I know it's been awhile but-"

"I'm pregnant." Dorcas blurted out and then promptly slapped a hand over her mouth. He looked at her in shock and she blushed. "I'm sorry. I know you never wanted that, at least not with me-"

"What are you talking about?" He said surprised at her words. Dorcas blinked back some tears and looked at him confused.

"Weren't you going to break up with me?" She asked hesitantly. Sirius looked at her for a second before he began to laugh. She blushed. "Sirius-"

"No, I'm not breaking up with you." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring he had bought over a month ago.

"Oh!" Dorcas gasped and her hand flew over her mouth, a few tears traveled down her face.

"I've been working up to asking you for over a month." He gave her a rueful smile. "Sorry I bollixed it up, love." He opened the box and Dorcas saw the ring she'd mentioned to Lily over three months ago.

"How'd you-"

"I know you better than you think." He said with a mischievous grin. She reached out to touch the ring but he pulled it slightly out of her reach. "Well?"

"Of course it's yes." She said in a low voice and Sirius grinned at her and took her left hand in his. After a moment of silence, he quickly put the ring on her finger and bounded around the table to kiss her heartily. They pulled apart slowly, unaware of the whole restaurant staring at them.

"I love you." He said quickly with a soft look in his eyes.

"You make me so happy." Dorcas said and he pulled her close. She buried her face in his chest. "I love you too."

"Do you want to tell everyone or go home and celebrate in private?" He asked.

"Let's go home." Dorcas said with a smile. "We'll tell them in the morning." And with that they paid their bill and went home to celebrate their engagement and the pregnancy. That night, they forgot about the war, they forgot about the danger and they were just a young couple in love about to get married.

OOOOOoooooOOOOOOooo

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	8. Chapter 7 Sorrow

AN: So i was much faster with this update :) please review! I hope that some of you out there are still reading...

Chapter 7- Sorrow

Dorcas stood wrapped in a cloak outside of the house that she was helping to guard. The Order had heard that this high profile wizard couple was next on Voldemort's hit list. She shivered and wrapped the cloak- Sirius' old cloak- around herself more tightly. She patted her slightly swollen stomach a bit worried that this might not be good for the baby. She wondered how Lily'd managed to go on patrol well into her eighth month. Dorcas thought that maybe she would ask Dumbledore for different jobs after she finished up this watch. She couldn't help but shake her head at her own foolishness. He had offered her different assignments but she had thought she'd be fine.

"Dorcas? You over here?" a voice whispered. Dorcas quickly pulled her mind back to reality.

"I'm over here Pete." She said and took off her Disillusionment Charm. "What's up? I didn't know you were on watch tonight?"

"Just thought that I'd stop by." He said nervously. She gave him a smile.

"Well, it's always nice to see a friendly face." They stood in silence for a while, but it seemed that they were alone in the woods. "So how come you didn't come to Sirius' birthday the other night?" She finally asked.

"Oh, you know." Peter said blushing. Dorcas nudged his side.

"Did you have a date?" She asked with a grin. Peter looked slightly flustered. "Oh! You did! Is she pretty? Do we know her?"

"Er-" Peter said but was interrupted by a twig snapping nearby. Dorcas pulled out her wand and turned to see Voldemort and five Death Eaters.

"Peter, get help!" Dorcas called diving out of the way as a curse flew at her.

"Find the others." Voldemort said in a cold voice that froze her blood. Dorcas saw the five Death Eaters storm away. She knew Fabian and Gideon were nearby. She hoped they'd be able to handle themselves.

"I know you're here." Voldemort said in the same cold voice. "You're just making it harder on yourself." Dorcas swallowed hard.

"What do you want?!" She yelled and was greeted with a laugh that sent chills down here spine.

"To kill you and your blood traitor spawn." He replied with something like humor in his voice. Dorcas heard movement and tried to circle to avoid Voldemort.

"How do you know that I'm pregnant?" She asked trying to keep him talking so she knew where he was. If she could make it outside of the anti-apparition shields should go get help. Voldemort laughed his cold laugh again. Dorcas shuddered, he was closer than before. She would have to send a message with her Patronus.

"I was told you were intelligent. Surely you've realized that one of your own has betrayed you all."

"No!" She yelled instinctively. But the more that she thought about it, the more it made sense. It had to be true. Concentrating on the night that Sirius proposed to her, she managed to send a Patronus to Dumbledore. She moved quickly as Voldemort send a curse her way. It hit the tree she had been hiding behind, but missed Dorcas.

"Oh yes. Your precious Order is not the group of happy friends that you imagined it was." He laughed again.  
"You're lying." Dorcas yelled and moved as she heard him.

"No." Voldemort said calmly. Dorcas moved to a new spot. She was closer now. So close to being able to apparate. She knew Dumbledore would come as soon as he could, but would she survive long enough? She was terrified. She should never have come out on the watch after she learned of her pregnancy. She bumped into someone.

"Peter!" Dorcas hissed. "I thought you went to get help?" He shook his head and she noticed he was sweating profusely.

"Sorry." He muttered at last and grabbed her arm. "Over here, my Lord!" Peter called and Dorcas looked at him in horror.

"No!" Dorcas whispered in horrified surprise.

"Excellent work." Voldemort said with a touch of mockery as he turned towards them. He was smiled and Dorcas had never seen anything quite so chilling. She pulled her arm free from Peter's sweaty grasp.

"You TRAITOR!" She roared at him and cursed Peter. He went flying backwards. Voldemort merely laughed.

"Temper, temper, Miss Meadowes." Dorcas had almost forgotten that Voldemort was there in her anger. "Crucio" He said and Dorcas fell to her knees in pain. Her knuckles turned white around her wand and when Voldemort lifted the curse she began to pant. "Come now. I did think this would be more of a challenge."

"Reducto!" Dorcas let the curse fly. It was the first one that popped into her mind. Voldemort staggered back a few steps and Dorcas tried to use that time to get herself together.

"Weak." Voldemort sneered. "Dumbledore should teach you better." He ran his fingers along his wand almost lovingly. "I can teach you much more. If you join me. I will spare you and your…child." He said the world child as if it were something disgusting.

"You're pathetic." Dorcas said getting to her feet. "You're an evil twisted psycho and I would never join you!" She shot another curse at him but Voldemort merely laughed.

"I didn't think that you would." Just then the sound of voices came from behind them. "Well it looks like your 'friends' are here at last." He sneered.

"One day we'll stop you." Dorcas said in a voice full of certainty.

"I highly doubt that." Voldemort sneered as Dorcas began to inch away from him. She sent another curse at him and he blocked it as well. He raised his wand and Dorcas knew what curse he was going to use. She turned and ran, holding her stomach protectively. Knowing she had to survive for the baby, her and Sirius' child.

"Aveda Kedvara!" Voldemort yelled. Dorcas gasped and tried to spin out of the way, but the curse came at her too fast. The last thing she heard was Alastor Moody calling her name and Voldemort laughing as she fell to the ground, dead.

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Sirius slept fitfully on the couch in his and Dorcas' home. Ever since he'd gotten the news that Dorcas had been killed he hadn't been able to go into their bedroom. Years streamed down his face even in his sleep. He jerked awake as he heard a knock at the door. Wiping his face and grabbing his wand, Sirius went to open the door.

"Lily, James." Sirius said in relief and his two friends came into the house carrying Harry. Sirius looked at the baby longingly. He looked down at his hands. Dorcas would've been six months along now.

"Padfoot." James began putting his hands on Sirius' shoulder after the door was close. "Why don't you come and stay with us for a while?"

"Nah. I don't want to intrude." Sirius said.

"Sirius please." Lily said placing Harry on the floor. He crawled over to his godfather and tugged on the bottom of Sirius' robes. "She wouldn't want you to stay here by yourself." Sirius gave a bitter chuckle and picked up Harry.

"No. I'd imagine she'd have liked to be here with me." He said and Lily choked out a sob. "I'm sorry." Sirius said with a sigh and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I know you loved her too." He choked out.

"Bow wow wow." Harry said and patted Sirius' cheek.

"Harry no." Lily said making a move to take the baby back.

"No Lily, it's ok." Sirius said and gave James a half smile. "It's not as bad when I'm a dog." He sat Harry down carefully and turned into a dog. He spent the next few minutes entertaining Harry, not noticing the worried looks on his friends' faces. Eventually, Harry got tired out and Sirius turned back.

"Let me take this little stinker to get his diaper changed." Lily said picking up a dozing Harry and giving James a significant look. James nodded in complete understanding.

"Padfoot-"  
"I know Prongs. You and Lily are worried I'm detaching from reality."

"Well…yeah." James said and rubbed his neck. "Padfoot, why don't you stay with us? Don't worry about Lily. She wants you to come too."

"No Prongs. I'm going to stay here. I need to. I just want- well I want her back."

"I know. I just- we just – want to be there for you. I can't imagine if Lily and Harry…" James trailed off. Sirius rubbed his eyes.

"I know. And then it would be me telling you to move in here…"

"Stay with us." James said. "Or at least with Wormtail or Moony if you think that you'd be invading Lily's house." They chuckled. Lily had often read them the riot act about mucking up the house.

"I'll think about it." Sirius said and looked around the room. "I just can't believe that she's gone." He mumbled. "I keep thinking that she's going to come running in the door, late as usual, her hair a mess…" He sighed. "I wish that I hadn't been such a prat in sixth year. Who knows what might've been?"

"You can't think like that." James said sharply and they sat in silence for a moment.

"I know." Sirius said quietly. "But I just want more time."

"We all do, mate." James replied and they sat in silence until Lily came back in the room with Harry. All three of them began to play with Harry and not think about what was in the back of all their minds: Someone in the order was a spy.

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Well the story is almost at the end. More soon!


	9. Epilouge

Ok so here's the short little epilouge. I hope that someone out there is still reading and emjoying!

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Epilogue

Harry's third year…

A large black dog stood by the tombstone silently. It looked like, to a casual observer, the dog was thinking. But that would've been impossible.

Maybe not.

The dog put a rose down on the slightly over grown grass. It had been pretty well taken care of over the years, he was happy to see. It had been over twelve years since he had last stood on this spot. Only back then it had been on two legs, not four. He stared up at the white marble that immortalized her name.

Dorcas Meadowes. Beloved.

The dog lay down and put his paws over his head as he whimpered slightly.

"Ah, love. We'll be together soon enough." He thought. "But first I'll stop that traitor and protect our godson." Sirius wondered as he often did in Azkaban if Peter had betrayed Dorcas as well. It would fit that he'd killed almost all of the people Sirius had ever loved. The dog growled.

He thought about Dorcas' and his unborn child that was killed with her by Voldemort. The dog began to howl. He'd protect Harry with everything he had, because, Harry was all that he had left. With one last look at her grave, he raced off northwards. He felt certain he could do it. It was just like he could feel his friends encouraging him and he felt a surge of hope. He could do this. After all, he's been catching rats for years in Azkaban.

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Dept. Of Mysteries. Two Years Later.

Sirius could hear the voices whispering to him even louder than before as soon as he entered the room with the veil in the Department of Mysteries. He pushed it aside as he raced to duel with the Death Eaters. He saw Dolohov facing off against Harry and felt fission of fear. He rammed into the Death Eater and began to fight against Dolohov himself. Until Harry put the Death Eater in the full body bind.

"Nice one!" Sirius yelled before pushing Harry to the ground. "Now I want you to get out of-" They ducked again. "Harry, take the prophecy, grab Neville, and run!" Sirius shouted running to face off with Bellatrix. He felt the adrenaline coursing through his veins like it never had before.

"You!" Bellatrix called and they began to duel in earnest.

"That wasn't a very nice way to treat your only niece." Sirius said and Bellatrix turned red with anger. She set a curse towards Sirius which he hastily blocked.

"You traitor!" She shrieked and sent a stunner at him.

"Come on! You can do better than that!" He taunted and then he was hit in the chest. He looked surprised as he slowly fell backwards and through the veil.

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"Sirius." He heard a voice call his name that he hadn't heard in ages. He didn't open his eyes for fear that he was dreaming. She chuckled. "I'm here Sirius. Open your eyes." He did.

"Dori…" Sirius said and slowly reached his hand towards her face. "Dori…"

"I'm here." She said and leaned into his touch. His eyes softened for a moment before widening in panic.

"I have to help Harry!" Sirius quickly sprang to his feet. "He's in trouble!" Dorcas slowly followed as he went to the edge of the room. There was no wall there. Only a bright light where they could see into the room where the battle was still going on.

"It's over. He'll be ok." Dorcas said and Sirius turned back slowly.

"I'm dead aren't I?" He asked quietly. She merely nodded. Sirius rubbed a hand over his face. "Well, I suppose I knew this day was coming soon. I just wish…"

"I know." She said and walked over to take his hand. "Oh, I know." Sirius turned to her suddenly and pulled her close, holding her face in his hands. He studied her intently for a moment. She was just as he remembered her.

"How I've missed you." He exclaimed before he began to kiss her passionately. And he knew even though he'd never gotten his revenge- he'd done all he could. And now all he could do was watch over Harry from this side of the veil and make up for lost time with his girl. They broke the kiss and Sirius laughed.

"What?" She asked with a smile.

"It's good to see you again." He looked down at her and his smile broadened.

"I love you." Dorcas said quietly.

"I love you too."

The End

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